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From the Desk of Larry Baer

The record books will show the 2015 Giants fell short of defending its World Series championship, but we'll remember this team as having as much heart and grit as any other in recent memory.

Last Tuesday night, Bruce Bochy told his players how proud he was, how proud we all were. As injuries took a toll on our roster, our players never stopped fighting. Young players kept arriving from the farm system, one more talented and poised than the next.

We saw Chris Heston throw a no-hitter in just his 13th Major League start, Kelby Tomlinson hit .328 in his first month, Jarrett Parker slug five home runs in a three-game stretch, backup-to-the-backup catcher Trevor Brown hit nearly .300 and skillfully handle a pitching staff, and we saw relievers Josh Osich and Hunter Strickland get crucial outs. And Matt Duffy. He not only claimed the starting job at third base, but he also climbed to No. 3 in the batting order, racking up more hits in the second half of the season than any player in the National League and forcing his way into Rookie of the Year contention. And, of course, he became the first rookie ever to win the Willie Mac Award.

The maturity and intensity of these rookies are a reflection of the scouts, coaches and minor-league development staff who also delivered homegrown stars Buster Posey, Joe Panik, Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt - who with Duffy make up the best infield in baseball. Talk about the future: All five will still be under 30 years old next season, as will Madison Bumgarner. In the dog days of August, he went 5-0 with 1.43 ERA. In September, he fell one pitch short of a perfect game. And with the team shorthanded on the bench, he picked up a bat and pinch-hit. Three times. His five home runs this season lead all pitchers.

The culture of our clubhouse, shaped by team-oriented veterans, is a key factor in the success of our young players. Matt Duffy provided a glimpse in a piece for the Players' Tribune: "I was 23 and just up from Double A (in 2014). Nobody had ever heard of me. But Hunter didn't treat me like an outsider who was just passing through, filling a roster spot. He made me feel as if I was exactly what the team needed. Thus began a succession of welcoming handshakes and confidence boosters from Buster and Brandon Crawford and everyone else. Play big, they told me."

Bruce Bochy has already established himself as the best manager in baseball, leading the Giants to three World Championships in five years. But this season might have been his most brilliant managing job yet. Incredibly, only one game out of 162 could Bochy play his projected opening day lineup. His chess-master maneuvering squeezed the very best out of every player on the roster, keeping the team in the playoff hunt until the final week of the season.

This season revealed the true character of our team. It also showed, once again, the true character of our fan base. No fans are more loyal than ours. You show up no matter what. You sold out AT&T Park every single game this season, a streak of 408 straight dating back to 2010. Our 50 millionth fan walked through the turnstiles. Your energy lifts every player and coach. It's one of the most striking things to our new players -- the unusually close relationship between the players and fans. I can tell you that Tim Hudson and Jeremy Affeldt will never forget your outpouring of love and appreciation as they retired from the game. No players have represented the Giants and baseball better than these two men. Their ferocity on the field was matched only by their humanity off it. They were brothers and mentors to dozens of Giants teammates over the years. They were champions of the vulnerable and marginalized in our community. They leave a profound legacy.

We are already hard at work preparing for 2016. Our extraordinary core of championship-caliber players and our deep pool of talented rookies position us well for 2016. Just think of our lineup next year with Hunter Pence and Joe Panik back in it! Our focus right now is on getting healthy and filling openings on the pitching staff. Executive Vice President Brian Sabean, General Manager Bobby Evans and our baseball operations staff are scrutinizing and exploring every possible opportunity.

We will keep you updated on the status of the team throughout the off-season. We so appreciate you being part of our Giants Family.